Why 7 Red, but only 6 White?

[Cmn104]

I am in my high school's JROTC program and my 1SG said anyone who can answer this question gets a promotion.

"Why are there 7 red stripes, and only 6 white stripes?"

Thanks.

[Peter Ansoff]

Hello, Cmn, welcome to the forum.

"Why are there 7 red stripes, and only 6 white stripes?"

Well, let's start at the beginning. There are 13 stripes because there were 13 states when the USA was created. The stripes actually pre-dated the creation of the American flag in 1777; they appeared on the "Continental Colors" and also on some regimental flags. During the early part of the Revolutionary War, the stripes were not always red and white; there were examples of blue-and-white, red-and-green, and red-white-and blue stripes. The Congressional flag resolution of 1777 specified that the stripes were red and white, and this was repeated in the flag resolutions of 1794 and 1818. The current law (4 USC Chapter 1) says "The flag of the United States shall be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white . . ."

Since there are 13 stripes, and the colors have to alternate, there are only two options: 7 red and 6 white, or 7 white and 6 red. The 1777 resolution didn't say which way it should be, and there were flags made both ways during the Revolution.

I don't think anyone knows exactly why we finally settled on 7 red and 6 white, but it's not too hard to guess. The key is that the top and bottom stripes will always be the "7" color. The flag was created primarily for use by ships at sea, to identify themselves as American vessels. This meant that the flag had to be easily recognizable at a distance, even when visibility was poor. If the top and bottom stripes were white, the edges of the flag would tend to blend into the light background of the sky, while red stripes would give good contrast with the background. If the top and bottom stripes are red, then the flag must have 7 red and 6 white stripes -- there's no other way to do it.

Do I get a promotion now? (-;

Peter Ansoff

[lizrob19464@aol.com]

Red was the color of the blood we shed.
The white was for our purity.
?????????????

[lizrob19464@aol.com]

Very nice to know the real facts.

[Captgio]

Have some new information!

[JTK525]

Eminently logical.

[Captgio]

To Jtk525:

Peter knows his flag history well and he is very correct on the what he told you. Know one really knows why 7 was picked for the red stripes and 6 for the white stripes.

Recently, I have found some of the finest evidence from two existing Stars and Stripes. The descendants were English Lords who were Puritans in the mid to late 1500's. One of the Lords was named Sir Robert Sydney who was LT. Governor of the Flushing Low Countries, Flushings was made up of all of Holland, Germany and parts of France. Gov. Sydney's seat of office was in Vlissingen Holland, happens to be the same port where the Dutch East India Company originated and had its headquarters while Sydney was in office.

The Dutch had seven Provinces that were the origins of their Puritian history that is part of the origins of the English Puritian Churches as well. Sydney was also Governor over those seven provinces, during the war with the Spanish.

So, it may be very true that the seven Puritan Provinces of Holland are origin in representation for the reason why there are seven red stripes on the 13 Stars and Stripes.

Sir Robert Sydney and the Lt. Governor who took his place in 1588 until 1610 were investors in both the British East India and Dutch East India Companies. Both the Governors senior Lord was Sir Dudley, who sons helped find Hartford Connecticut with Rev. Hooker.

Just pay close attention to this aspect, the church ministers had more powerful influence over everything, in Holland the senior minister had to attend the council for the armies and Navy. The flag was influenced by Puritan Church for both Holland and England, no question. The white stripes in regards to the BEI company could represent the British Counties, where the Puritans originated.

As far as what Peter wrote, based on documented evidence, he is correct.

Best Regards
Gio

[Peter Ansoff]

Gio's history is a bit mixed up. Without going into too much detail: Sir Robert Sidney was never Lt. Governor of the "Flushing Low Countries" -- there was no such entity. "Flushing" is the English name for the Dutch town of Vlissingen, a sea port on at the mouth of the Schelde River that was transferred to English control in 1585 by the Treaty of Nonsuch. Robert Sidney served as Governor of Flushing from 1589 until it was returned to the Dutch in 1616. Gio is probably confusing Sidney with his uncle, Sir Robert Dudley, who was briefly made Governor-General by the Dutch States General (he quickly proved himself incompetent and was removed).

So, it may be very true that the seven Puritan Provinces of Holland are origin in representation for the reason why there are seven red stripes on the 13 Stars and Stripes. . . . The flag was influenced by Puritan Church for both Holland and England, no question. The white stripes in regards to the BEI company could represent the British Counties, where the Puritans originated.

And why is there "no question" about all this? It appears to be a lot of vague speculation, and ignores the most obvious explanation for the numbers of the stripes. If you have 13 alternating stripes, there have to be 7 of one color and 6 of the other color.

Having said all that, it's not impossible that the idea of the American stripes was influenced by the Dutch flag, which had (and still has) 3 horizontal stripes of red, white and blue. The Netherlands had fought a war of independence against a colonial master (Spain), and it would have been reasonable for the Americans to see them as a role model. For what it's worth, we know that the first ship of the Continental Navy, the Alfred, had a Dutch flag in her flag locker during her initial cruise to the Bahamas. Several of Commodore Hopkins' signals made use of a Dutch flag, and the log of HMS Glasgow states that "the [American] Adml hoisted Dutch colors and the other Strip'd" during their battle off Newport.

Peter Ansoff

[NAVA1974]

If you have 13 alternating stripes, there have to be 7 of one color and 6 of the other color. Peter Ansoff

Furthermore, if you look at the existing illustrations of 13 star flags (and we only have illustrations to look as since there are no documented examples made before 1795 to my knowledge) you will see that the very few illustrations that show the flag with 6 red and 7 white stripes are generally European in origin. That may very well have been influenced by heraldry where the "argent" (silver, or the white) is more honorable than the rouge (red.)

The Americans, however, used a more practical approach - when the top and bottom stripes are white they effectively dissapear - there is no contrast between the white and the bright background of the sky. When the top and bottom stripes are red the flag appears much larger and is more conspicuous, thus easier to identify. And that is the whole point of a flag, after all.

Nick

[Robin Hickman]

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Hmmmm.....


You don't suppose it could be in the way that the "Flag Resolution" was actually worded, do you?

I mean, in this case there really isn't that much difference (if any at all) between 18th Century and 21st Century American English, is there?

Sure, there is an economy of words, a certain "terseness", if you will. Think of it along the lines of, "They wrote what they meant and they meant what they wrote".

So "why" was/is RED the color of the first and last of the "alternate red and white" 13 stripes?

Read for yourself :

“Resolved, That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”


SEE ???


For those who might not yet "get it" due to my poor, inadequate, attempt at explaining the meaning of the previous quotation as it was written by well-educated 18th century wordsmith and voted on by a bunch of other well-educated 18th century wordsmiths who all understood the concept behind the saying, "first things, first", I'll "re-write" the passage by swapping TWO words, "RED" and "WHITE".


“Resolved, That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate WHITE and RED; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”


There. Now do you see?


IF the Flag Resolution that was passed in 1777 had been written THAT way, "alternate white and red", instead of "alternate red and white", how do you think our Flag would look?


That's right: seven white stripes and six red ones, starting with a white one first!


The funny thing is, if I'd have used the same "economy of words" in this entry as they did back in 1777, I'd simply stated my case by pointing out :

"there are seven red stripes and only six white stripes because the Flag Resolution passed in 1777 specifically mentioned the color red FIRST !!!"





Robin Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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